Celebrating Emmy Award-Winning Gala Host Ross Shafer Engineering Excellence W hat started as a small luncheon in 1967 has grown to be the industry’s highest profile awards event. ACEC’s Engineering Excellence Awards program pays tribute to the year’s best engineering achievements. The EEA Gala is a stylish black-tie program that annually attracts more than 600 members and guests, including national industry leaders and members of Congress and the administration. A distinguished panel of more than 30 judges representing industry, government, academia and the media assemble each year to evaluate Member Firm projects from throughout the world. Rating criteria include uniqueness and originality; technical, social and economic value; complexity; and future value to the profession. National Finalists as well as the 24 top award winners and the winner of the Grand Conceptor award for the year’s most outstanding achievement are celebrated at the elegant EEA Gala— the “Academy Awards” of the engineering industry. ACEC’s Grand Conceptor award 52 ENGINEERING INC. MaRCh / apRIl 2009